Dark Horse Preview Review for January

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO EVERYONE IN THE USA

Jim: I know January is a slow month for retailers, but Dark Horse is not making it any easier, the new product offerings are very limited.
Lee: The best part is less offerings means we can highlight the really silly products. INSANITY HHHOOOOOO!!!!!

BETTIE PAGE HEAT-SENSITIVE MUG
On sale Feb 11 Packaged in deluxe full-color box $14.99
Like your coffee HOT ? Well, here's a scorcher! We have taken one of Bunny Yeager's best photographs of our longtime muse and inspiration Bettie Page, infused it with color, and applied it to a high-quality coffee mug. But wait--there's more. When a hot beverage is poured into the cup, a magical transformation takes place, and our sultry cutie's top fades away. Oh, Nellie . . . that Bettie! If the coffee doesn't wake you up, that ought to do the trick.

Jim: Oh goody, a coffee mug of a model from the 50’s who does a strip tease as the mug heats up. Hey guys if you want to remain single for ever have this as your coffee mug at home.
Lee: Uuummm, should I be concerned that my wife already has a coffee mug just like this. Something about role models and heroes. Huuummmm, I might have to look closer at that coffee cup.

B.P.R.D.: THE BLACK GODDESS #1 (of 5)
Mike Mignola (W), John Arcudi (W), Guy Davis (A), Dave Stewart (C), and Kevin Nowlan (Cover) On sale Jan 14 FC, 32 pages $2.99 Miniseries
At the turn of the twentieth century, a British museum curator with a bent for the occult traveled east in search of power and immortality. He was never heard from again. In 1937, masked crimefighter The Lobster faced a magic-wielding madman bent on fulfilling an apocalyptic prophecy. The plans were foiled, and the world saved, but the villain himself disappeared . . .
Seventy years later, B.P.R.D. agent Liz Sherman began to experience visions of a mysterious gentleman who warned of coming catastrophes. When the Bureau tracked him down, he disappeared--and kidnapped Liz. Now, Liz's friends race to find her as their old enemies band together for a final, catastrophic attack.
The Black Goddess is the second of three arcs pulling together threads from the beginning of the series--and leaving the B.P.R.D. and the world forever changed.

Jim: The Mignolaverse is one of the best creations ever done and it has been quietly building up to one heck of a climax. If you have ignored this stuff before, do not now.
Lee: So, since this is the second of three arcs, it’s a perfect jumping on point for new readers like me. Excellent recommendation.

THE CLEANERS #2 (of 4)
Mark Wheaton (W), Joshua Hale Fialkov (W), Rahsan Ekedal (A), and Jon Graef (C)
On sale Jan 21 FC, 32 pages $2.99 Miniseries
Here are the facts we know so far: In less than twenty-four hours, a discreet team of private-practice trauma-scene cleaners has been dispatched to clean up two very large blood spills in the LA area--one filling a room at a prestigious landmark hotel, and another taking up half a suburban block in the Valley. There are no bodies to speak of, no known victims, no explanation for how or why the blood appeared. But Robert Bellarmine--whose cleaning crews get called in to take care of the weirdest jobs, the ones the cops can't or won't handle--can already tell that both his advanced medical training and his scientifically skeptical mind will be pushed to the limit as he sets out to find a rational explanation for these sudden eruptions of gore. And when ten-year-old Henry Lisander goes missing the next day, Bellarmine knows he has even less time to figure out who or what is behind the bloodbath!
* Josh Fialkov is the writer behind the hit indie sensations Punks the Comic and Elk's Run, as well as highly acclaimed runs on Friday the 13th, Vampirella, and more!

Lee: Elk's Run was great story so that's a big plus in my book. Looks like DH is trying to elbow into the horror market a little bit.
Jim: I still have not read Elk’s run and yet I own it. The first issue of this series was a winner and I can’t wait for part 2.

GRENDEL: DEVIL'S REIGN
Matt Wagner (W/Cover), Tim Sale (P), Matt Hollingsworth (C), and Giulia Brusco (C)
On sale Mar 4 FC, 184 pages $19.95 TPB, 7" x 10"
The year is 2530, and the corrupt Church, Vatican Ouest, has fallen, spreading upheaval across North America, along with an infestation of vampires. In this new world, Ex-COP leader Pellon Cross is still at large, devil-possessed Eppy Thatcher is missing, and Orion Assante is on an ambitious quest to restore order to the continent and gain legitimate power. But will Orion attain his goals before threats from overseas change the rules in this game for power? Grendel: Devil's Reign is a groundbreaking synthesis of politics, war, religion, and the devil created by two of the top talents in comics!
Tim Sale's first major series in comics, collected for the very first time!

Jim: Oh I want this book, but Dark Horse has done the trade and then the hard cover later before, so I’ll wait and see if a hard cover is not coming down the road.
Lee: I agree. It’s worth waiting for because the trade will be in print for awhile. More Grendel HC’s!

PLANET OF BEER
Brian Sendelbach (W/A) On sale Mar 18 FC, 152 pages $14.95 TPB, 12" x 8"
Dark Horse is proud to present . . . actually, make that giggling manically as we present one of the silliest--yet most subversive and darkly funny--collections of comics you'll see this year. Planet of Beer selects the best and weirdest comic strips from the popular underground weekly comic Smell of Steve in one gloriously colored, landscape-format book. Join creator Brian Sendelbach's all-misfit cast of underloved underwater superheroes, space-faring former U.S. presidents, soul-sucking alien DJs, Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, and other insane characters as they work together to find the elusive and legendary Planet of Beer. Actually, that's way more of a sensible plot than you'll actually find in this book, but if you like your comics absurd, awesome, and maybe just a tiny bit disturbing and wrong, we're pretty sure you're going to love this book. The Smell of Steve strip started running in The Stranger (Seattle, WA) in the mid-1990s, and eventually ran in Vice magazine, The New York Press, The Philadelphia Weekly, Baltimore City Paper, The Portland Mercury, Terminal City (Vancouver, BC), Punchline (Richmond, VA), The Weekly Alibi (Albuquerque, NM), The Bohemian (San Jose, CA), and GoGo (Denver, CO).

Jim: Hey if Lee chooses the “Man who loved Breasts” (which is every hetro male) then I can choose Planet of Beer.
Lee: And an excellent choice it is! Now, imagine reading this THEN reading “Man who loved Breasts” right after it. I sense and evening of bliss.

TUROK TRADING CARDS
On sale Mar 18 50 full-color trading cards, packaged in a deluxe box $14.95
From ancient times to the present, we have been mystified, frightened, and inspired by dinosaurs. Our fascination was perfectly captured in Dell's Turok: Son of Stone cover paintings, which teamed American Indian warrior Turok with a variety of saurian adversaries. While these renderings of dinosaurs were considered to be accurate in the1950s and '60s, modern paleontology has given us a new understanding of the reptile denizens of prehistory. Veteran illustrator and dinosaur expert Pete Von Sholly has created an absolutely stunning series of trading cards depicting the weirdest and most mysterious cover, with scientifically accurate dinosaurs, effectively updating this classic genre with fifty new pieces. Text on the back of the card tells details of the dinosaurs. This set will amaze and inform casual observers and serious Turok or dinosaur buffs alike.

Lee: Is there still a market for trading cards? I think these are cool but I'm not sure who's going to buy them. I know lots about comics but old painted Turok covers are obscure even for me.
Jim: No market that I’m aware of. Add to that Turok trading cards and I think you have a guaranteed why are they making this type of item.

Jim: A really slow month from Dark Horse.
Lee: Slow, yes. But, it was saved by “Beer” and “Bettie Page”.

Indies Previews Review for January Part 3 of 3

We present the finale for this month's indy review.

Kronos Entertainment
Spy School #3 by Frank Tra & Keith Burns
Things start to heat up as we charge to a head. Spy School classes are taking interesting turns, and just when classes get into a routine, the curriculum switches to the School of Hard Knocks!
Pages: 24, #3 of 4, FC, $3.99
Lee: This is a really tough call. The splash shows hints of greatness but it’s just a splash. It’s easy to draw a splash page and not be able to draw panels. I have been burnt by that far too many times in the past. As always, if only there were some previews… ANYWHERE cause I checked… then I might take a chance. As it stands now, it’s a pass for me.
Jim:It is also issue #3 of 4, so that makes it even easier to pass.

NBM
Little Nothings Vol. 02: Prisoner Syndrome GN by Lewis Trondheim
More of the acclaimed comics blog musings of one of the greatest comic artists alive today, author of Dungeon, A.L.I.E.E.E.N., and Mr. O. The Onion called the first collection a hoot and the Washington Post thought them beautifully scribbled strips centering on such existential hiccups as extreme self-doubt, spontaneous superstitions and unjustified paranoia. A collection from his comics blog that expands his palette with full color painting, one can only be awed at Trondheim's uncanny sense of observation and relate to all his experiences closely. You can see a preview of these comics blog entries on NBM's website. Pages: 128, 6x9, SC, FC, $14.95
Lee: This month seems to be filled with lots of ‘vol 2’s’. Because this is a follow up to the outstanding ‘Little Nothings Vol 1’. It’s a great slice of life story about a real cartoonist as he ages. Try this and I guarantee you won’t be disappointed. Ask Jim, he’s been reading my copy of Vol 1 for 2-3 months now.
Jim: Hey when you lend me a book you always get it back, maybe not in the same calender year but you get it back.

Radical Publishing
Shrapnel #1 by M. Zachary Sherman & Bagus Hutomo
Humanity has a new empire. Our solar system has been colonized and each planet is dominated by the brutal will of the Solar Alliance. All except Venus, the last free colony and final relic of democracy! As Venus and its' people suffer the enforcement of the Alliance, one woman may be able to turn the tide. Samantha Sam Vijaya, a Solar Alliance war veteran and hero, lives on Venus in self-imposed exile, hoping to escape the life she once knew. However, when the skies burn and civil war comes to her doorstep, Sam has no choice but to join the fight. With the freedom of humanity on the brink of extinction, Sam must emerge from exile to destroy the same forces she once led! Created by Mark Long and best-selling science-fiction novelist Nick Sagan (Idlewild). Features covers by Clint Langley, Bruno Werneck, Bai, and Gerhard Moszi.
Pages: 48, #1 of 5, FC, $1.99
Jim: I love the premise and I trust Radical comics so this is a mini-series that I’m looking forward to Radical has produced quality book after quality book.
Lee: It seems to me that Radical is to Sci Fi, what IDW is to horror. And, I think that’s a good game plan. So far, all the offerings have been good. I just hope they don’t fall flat like Virgin did.

Rebellion
Shakara the Assassin SC by Robbie Morrison & Henry Flint
The galaxy is in turmoil. Once a place of peace and order, now a time of terror has descended upon it, with races waging war upon one another unchecked by any authority. Planets, civilizations, even entire star systems face total annihilation or enslavement. But a vengeful figure has emerged from the chaos, striking at targets with a ruthless determination. This alien being calls itself Shakara and it is seemingly bent on wreaking revenge on those responsible for the destruction of its people. The Shakara were thought to be long dead - but retribution is coming from beyond the grave!
Pages: 160, 8x11, SC, FC, $24.99
Lee: When I saw this I was excited, then I did some research and got really excited. From what I can gather, the story is a straight forward revenge tale with ample opportunity for Flint to draw crazy settings, machines, and action scenes. Since, I really like Flint’s art, I am all over this. And, I should note, Rebllion hasn’t let me down yet for good stories.
Jim: Rebellion has this type of material down pat. It is a shame we have note seen much of Flint Henry's art in more mainstream books.

Scholastic Inc.
Tales from Outer Suburbia HC by Shaun Tan
An exchange student who's really an alien; a secret room that becomes the perfect place for a quick escape; a typical tale of grandfatherly exaggeration that is actually even more bizarre than he says... These are the odd details of everyday life that grow and take on an incredible life of their own in tales and illustrations by Shaun Tan, author and illustrator of award-winner and New York Times bestseller, The Arrival. Size: 7.25 X 9.5, FC, $19.99
Lee: Tan’s other work, The Arrival, was absolutely fantastic. The Arrival garnered all sorts of praise outside of the comic book media and it was rightfully deserved. I am sure this will be very good too and I look forward to having it on my shelf.
Jim: Just based on the Arrival alone I would buy this book. The Arrival was a beautiful book and totally wordless which actually added to it. This looks to be along those same lines and an easy book to order.


Secret Acres
Fatal Faux Pas GN by Samuel C. Gaskin
Samuel C. Gaskin's first book, a collection of gags, stories and drawings, is aimed directly at the adult reader who can appreciate his playful, often risque riffs on pop culture. The stories and gags in Fatal Faux-Pas invoke Black Sabbath, Klaus Kinski, the cast of Saved by the Bell, Dinosaur Jr., Sun Ra, and Depeche Mode among others. A delirious ambitious mash-up of single-panel gags, strips, and longer form stories, Fatal Faux-Pas is the very definition of youthful exuberance. Visit the artist here and see the weekly strip here
Pages: 96, SC, PC, $10.00
Lee: The art is crude but the stories have potential. This is definitely a work in progress, but I think Gaskin has talent. Now it comes down to, if I want to be the first kid on the block with his stuff or wait until he develops some more.
Jim: I'll wait. I appreciated that artist have growing pains, I don't have to fund their education.


Wormdye GN by Eamon Espey
Wormdye is a collection of interwoven tales that deftly illustrate the fever-pitched anxiety of modern life. With locales as varied as the River Styx, the Vatican, the island of Aegina, and the Mitchell Corn Palace, Wormdye follows Marco, Tommy and others as they engage in the human struggle - work, religion, death and human sacrifice. Bleak and darkly funny, Wormdye uses myths and iconographic visuals to evoke a world-view that is both absorbing and upsetting, tragic and triumphant. See the Wormdye weekly here, Visit the official page here and click Comix, for other stories. Pages: 128, SC, B&W, $13.00
Lee: Yep, this is big X - comiX. I like the art and the underground sensibilities. Not for the meek or mild but if you’re sick of superheroes and want a change of pace, this is a good place to start.
Jim: You know I like to think that I have a wide range in taste, but Lee likes a lot of things that do not float my boat.

Sparkplug Comic Books
Inkweed SC by Chris Wright
A compendium of comics and drawings by Chris Wright, this volume showcases Wright's idiosyncratic drawing style, and multi-layered narrative voice. In its brutality, and its compassion, the world of Inkweed displays the author's determination to create an aesthetic capable of disseminating an entire worldview. The book has loads of great drawing and whacked out stories, in a very European vein. Visit Chris Wright here and previews of here. Pages: 152, 5x8, SC. B&W, $16.00
Lee: From the previews, I would go with the “whacked out” description. But there’s a certain appeal here that I can’t describe. I’ve read the previews and I keep looking at it and seeing new things. As an alternative comic this looks very appealing.
Jim: I think Lee is starting to tip over into that side of things that he no longer is in the world with the rest of us. It is like when critics all love a movie, that no one else likes.


Back Issue #32
Back Issue downloads comics' "Tech, Data, and Hardware," beginning with The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe, courtesy of Eliot R. Brown (who also relives Mighty Marvel Moments of the '70s and '80s), while Marv Wolfman, Len Wein, and Bob Greenberger discuss the origins of DC's Who's Who, and Alex Saviuk, Joe Staton, and Ethan Van Sciver compare notes on "Drawing Green Lantern: Then and Now." Also: an Ed Hannigan Art Gallery, an in-depth history of ROM: Spaceknight, the story of Bill Mantlo, Dial H for Hero, Superhero Costumes, Richie Rich's Inventions, and Who's Who entries for Bob Rozakis' AA Comics heroes! And you techies and Spider-Man fans will love Back Issue's Spider-Mobile schematic cover by Eliot Brown and Dusty Abell! Pages: 100, Magazine, $6.95
Lee: My inner nerd just loves this! I always liked the tech issues and how Marvel/DC tried to make sense of all the silly gadgets and locations. Besides that, a discussion about how DC’s Who’s Who came about! I can’t wait to get this.
Jim: Of course you can't, your an engineer you can't help yourself. This stuff bores me to tears.

DC Superhero Figurine Collection Magazine: Superman #2
Meet the greatest heroes and villains of the DC Universe! Fully authorized figurines with a fact-filled magazine make this series a must-have for comic fans everywhere! Handcrafted and painted, each figurine presents the ultimate representation of DC's classic characters. Each magazine accompanying the figurine provides detailed history and background on the featured characters, including a look at the character's classic stories. Each magazine is filled with stunning artwork pulled straight from the very best DC comics. Characters available are Batman (#1), Superman (#2), The Joker (#3), Donna Troy (#22), The Spectre (#23), and Creeper (#24) Pages: 20, Magazine (w/Figurine), $14.00
Classic Marvel Figurine Collection Magazine: Warlock #90
Fully authorized figurines, teamed up with an amazing magazine put this series in a super-league of its own! The hand-painted lead figurines are sculpted by master craftsmen and based on original pieces of Marvel artwork. Measuring 3 1/2-4 tall, each figurine is individually numbered, comes stamped with the Marvel official logo, and comes packaged in its own box. The magazine accompanying each figurine will provide a detailed history and background on the featured character, including exclusive images and interviews. The fabulous characters featured this month are The Absorbing Man (#88), Guardian (#89), and Adam Warlock (#90)!
Pages: 20, Magazine (w/Figurine), $12.00
Lee: Why is the DC lead figure $14 but the Marvel one is $12? That makes no sense. Personally, I buy these so I can suck on the lead. And, when I consider it a double bonus when you get lucky with a lead figure soaked in Red Dye #2, such as Warlock. The Buzz man! THE BUZZ is incredible.
Jim: This stuff has no interest for me whatsoever. And Lee's comment answers a lot of questions.

Lee: As always, a very good month. Not to much French stuff this month but Rebellion hooked my up with cool British comics. AND, Second printing of Ducks!!! Super Cool.
Jim: A few good things, my favorite is the reprint of the golden age Superman something I will have to get and read right away. I still wish more people would check out stuff from the smaller press companies and see all the different ways words and pictures can tell any story.

Indies Preview Review for January Part 2 of 3

ONTO PART 2

Fantagraphics Books
Boody: Bizare Comics of Boody Rogers GN Edited by Craig Yoe
You've met Fletcher Hanks. Now meet Boody Rogers. Bizarre, wacky, weird, wild and sexy -just a few adjectives describing the cartooning of Boody Rogers. It all begins with a career spanning fun and fascinating interview with the late Rogers, by editor Craig Yoe. Here at last is a single book devoted to this cult comics hero, collecting Roger's best Sparky Watts, Babe and Dudley stories, as well as much more. A short history of Rogers here and a complete story from 1949 here. Pages: 124, 8 1/2 x 11, SC, FC, $19.99
Lee: This is going to be a great companion book to the Fletcher Hanks collection. I’ve seen Rogers art and it’s great. If memory serves, most of the Sparky Watts stories are twisted Archie tales. Very funny stuff.
Jim: I loved the Fletcher Hanks book it was so outrageous and madcap as to be a joy. This type of collections are a lot of fun.

Supermen! First Wave of Heroes (1939-41) GN Edited by Greg Sadowski; Introduction by Jonathan Lethem
Of the 22 stories appearing in SUPERMEN! the vast majority haven't seen print since first publication, including the notorious 1939 Wonder Man debut by Will Eisner. Wonder Man lasted one issue after a successful DC Comics lawsuit cited the similarity to its son of Krypton. This lawsuit inspired more individual and offbeat approaches, and it's on these mavericks and oddballs we focus this collection. The roster features such notables as Basil Wolverton, Jack Kirby, Jack Cole, Fletcher Hanks, Ogden Whitney, Lou Fine, Charles Biro, Fred Guardineer, and Dick Briefer. Fighting villainy is hard work and in SUPERMEN! it's downright ruthless.
Pages: 176, 8 1/2 x 11, SC, FC, $24.99
Lee: I love that Fantagraphics is reprinting this type of GA material. This is a who’s-who collection of GA artists and I’m sure they are doing some very strange material. I can’t wait.
Jim: This is another collection that is hard to resist and certainly we will not see this type of material anywhere else. While I would not want my entire collection full of this material this actual collection will be a nice addition to my bookcase.

Mother Come Home HC by Paul Hornschemeier
Mother, Come Home is Paul Hornschemeier's piercing graphic-novel debut: it secured the cartoonist's place as one of his generation's most skillful and ambitious practitioners, and proved a harbinger of the subject matter that the artist would go on to explore most consistently in later work: the nuclear family.Mother, Come Home quietly studies the inner lives of recently widowed David and his 7-year-old son, Thomas; both are unable to deal with their grief directly. Thomas, protected by a lion's mask that his mother gave him, constructs an identity for himself as "the groundskeeper": ritual and routine, already important to children that age, become paramount to him. He struggles desperately to keep up appearances while his father, a professor of symbolic logic, becomes lost in abstractions. Father and son begin to retreat into their fantasies, but only one emerges.Mother, Come Home is masterfully drawn: Eisner-, Harvey-, and Ignatz-Award-nominated Hornschemeier's controlled brushwork is clean, and his nine-panel page layouts pace David's inexorable descent into utter despair. Hornschemeier is equally precise when it comes to Mother, Come Home's color palette: subdued but warm, which suits the story's melancholy and contemplative mode. Mother, Come Home is a powerful work, and, because of its universal themes of anguish and loss, has resonance beyond its core audience of alternative-comics readers.
Pages: 128, 7 x 9, FC, $22.99
Lee: Hummm, this is really a odd little book for me. I picked up Hornschemeier other collection “Let Us Be Perfectly Clear” and alternately loved every other story in it. This is a longer form single story which makes me wonder if I’ll like it or love it. His art is fantastic so most likely I’ll get it.
Jim: This does sound interesting, but will be a pass for me.

Luba HC by Gilbert Hernandez
When Gilbert Hernandez climaxed his award-winning "Palomar" series at the end of Love and Rockets' original run by leveling the tiny Central American hamlet, many disappointed readers thought he had written off those beloved characters for good. Not so. Hernandez soon picked up the story of Luba (who had not only been one of the dominant characters of the "Palomar" series but had also starred in its prequel "Poison River"): Now older but perhaps not so very much wiser, the hammer-wielding matriarch had relocated to the United States of America, where she continued to contend not only, as an immigrant, with a brand new and not always welcoming culture but also her tempestuous extended family - her eccentric sisters Fritz and Petra, her nurturing but often disapproving cousin Ofelia, her many children ranging from the fully grown (Guadalupe and Doralis) to the latest brood sired by her husband Khamo (Casimira, Socorro, Joselito, and Conchita) - many of them in turn each with her own network of family members, lovers, and friends (including a number of other escapees from Palomar).These "America" stories - over 80 of them, ranging from quick one-page blackout sketches to bona fide graphic novellas - were originally published in a number of different comics and reprinted in a trilogy of oversized paperbacks. Luba finally collects in one compact, affordable hardcover the entirety of these tales, showcasing Gilbert Hernandez's wicked wit, great compassion, and uncanny understanding of how human beings love, squabble, and ultimately find a way to make it through this life. Tales of sex, violence and rock and roll rub elbows with stories of love, sensitivity, and understanding - and thanks to the miraculous alchemy of Hernandez's peerless storytelling, what emerges is a coherent, exciting, funny portrait of one of the richest group of fictional characters ever to spring from a cartoonist's mind.
Pages: 608, 9 x 12, B&W, $39.99
Lee: Check it out ! Love and Rockets gets an omnibus. Now I wish that they would issue the L&R hc’s again. But until then I will settle for this. L&R, and Luba by extension, are comic book classics. If you’ve never read either, then this is a great place to start.
Jim: I have tried this material a couple of times and I never was interested enough to continue. One of those books that I know about, but have just never felt compelled to force myself to read it enough of it to see if matches the hype.


Gemstone Publishing
Life and Times of Scrooge Mcduck Vol. 01: 2nd Ptg SC by Don Rosa
All twelve chapters of Don Rosa's celebrated Eisner Award-winning The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck series, detailing the biography of the World's Richest Duck, are presented in an affordable trade paperback edition! Also available is The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck Companion, presenting the pre-chapters and in-between chapters of Rosa's sprawling epic!
Pages: 256, 7x10, SC, FC, $17.99
Lee: IT’S A SECOND PRINT!!! I CAN HYPE SECOND PRINTINGS!!! Our agreement was I couldn’t talk about FIRST PRINTS of the ducks anymore. So I’m not talking FIRST PRINTS! But, this is a SECOND PRINT. LONG LIVE THE DUCKS!!!!
Jim: Quack, quack, quack. Lee and his darn ducks. We get it already, you like this stuff.


Harper Collins Publishers
Faerie Path: Lamias Revenge Vol. 01: Serpent Awakes by Frewin Jones & Alison Acton
The successful Faerie Path series is now magical in manga! This is the first book in the Faerie Path manga trilogy, featuring a brand new adventure for Tania, the long-lost princess of Faerie. Tania has finally gotten the hang of balancing her Mortal and Faerie families. But a dark force threatens Tania's two worlds - and it's up to her to stop it! This all-new, action-packed fantasy manga trilogy picks up after the events of Frewin Jones' best-selling Faerie Path series. Readers who loved the novels, as well as those new to Tania's worlds, will revel in the magic and romance of the Faerie realm, and will be swept along as the stakes get higher, the villains get nastier, and Tania fully embraces her power as a Faerie princess. Pages: 192, 5x7, SC, B&W, $7.99
Lee: When trolling through the indy offerings, I always have an eye out for good kids material and humor books. I don’t often notice girl-power books because I’m not all that familiar with it. Not to mention, I’m not a girl. ANYWAY, I felt I should try to pick something for everyone and I started here. BUT, what I did see what a cover that had both Toykpop AND Harper Collins on the spine as a publisher. Did I miss something? Was Tokyopop bought out? What am I missing because the T-P never had that on them before.
Jim: They way you cry about stuff makes me think you are a girl sometimes. Didn't TP recently did a cut back and cut a bunch of stuff, maybe that is how Harper Collin got involved.

IDW Publishing
Angora Napkin GN by Troy Little (W & A)
Halloween is upon us. Historically this ancient event has been identified as the day in which the boundary between the living and the dead becomes unstable. It is on this fateful night that we find Beatrice, Molly and Mallory, the pop music group known as Angora Napkin, crossing paths with the wandering dead. That's how they meet Dennis, the zombie boy, who agrees to eradicate all life on Earth. Now, the girls of Angora Napkin must stop the horror they've unwittingly released (and make it to their gig on time)! Visit the official page here and Troy’s hilarious blog here. Pages: 152, 7 x 9.5, HC, FC, $19.99
Lee: I’m a huge animation fan and this screams animation. It looks great and seems to walk that fine line between adult humor and glorious kiddy entertainment. If Troy’s blog is any indication about the humorous nature of this book I am sold.
Jim: I think Lee likes it for the music tie-in.

Classic G.I. Joe Vol. 01 SC by Larry Hama, Herb Trimpe, Steven Grant (W) Herb Trimpe, Don Perlin, Mike Vosburg (A) J. Scott Cam
The classic Marvel Comics G.I. Joe gets new life in this first collection of must-have Joe stories! This action-packed volume collects the classic G.I. Joe issues #1 to 10. Writer Larry Hama, the man irrevocably linked to G.I. Joe, guided the team for over ten years (and he returns to the characters next month in an all-new series!). Here, he is joined by an array of artists, including Herb Trimpe, Mike Vosburg, and Don Perlin. Pages: 240, FC, $19.99
Lee: I lived through (survived?) these books the first time they were published. This isn’t classic by any stretch. I probably shouldn’t throw stones because I read golden age reprints but let it never be said that ComicsAnd.. was fair! AND, I wonder how Marvel feels about seeing it’s material back in print????
Jim: The license deals are funny because Marvel has seen all of the Conan stuff they produced now published by Dark Horse. I wonder what is the royalty deal on that stuff.

G.I. Joe #1 by Chuck Dixon (W) Robert Atkins (A) Dell’Otto, Atkins, Johnson (C)
A new beginning and a new world of threats for the fighting men and women of the elite military force known as G.I. Joe - Freedom's last hope and the first-to-fight in battle with a hidden enemy and a secret war that's already won! The world's terror underworld whispers of Cobra. Who or what is Cobra and what can the Joes do to stop an enemy they can't identify or find. Think you know Joe? Think again. Chuck Dixon and Robert Atkins begin a whole new era, with superstar artist Gabriele Dell'Otto and Dave Johnson supplying amazing cover images, too. Ask your retailer how to get a special 16-page Jeff Campbell cover gallery, too! 3 regular covers will be shipped in a 1-to-1 ratio.
Pages: 32, FC, $3.99
Lee: Now, as much as I don’t care about “classic” GI Joe, I am very interested in this. I think the Joe concept is very good and could be very interesting if aimed at people older than 8. And, Chuck Dixon could be just the guy to do it. I’ll probably give the first issue or two a try because Dixon’s name is attached.
Jim: Chuck Dixon can write action/adventure better then anyone. This is a great fit, I'm passing because GI Joe has never been a concept I cared about, but Dixon will make it shine.

Dark Delicacies #1 by F. Paul Wilson, Steve Niles, Joe R. Lansdale, Neal Barrett, Jr. (W) Douglas Draper, Jr., Jerry Bec
Presenting an all-new anthology comic featuring tales of terror torn from the pages of the Bram Stoker Award-winning series of the same name. Producer/Writer Steve Niles and Editor Del Howison bring together some of the biggest names in the genre to celebrate horror in this quarterly anthology of all things gruesome and macabre. Publisher's Weekly called the anthologies a fulfilling feast of fear and the Los Angeles Times proclaimed it ...an anthology that can be described only as horrifying." 2 regular covers will be shipped in a 1-to-1 ratio.
Pages: 32, FC, $3.99
Jim: Any company willing to step into the anthology ring I have to give credit to. Anthologies are a form of the past and I believe 90% of the fans walk away without every looking at these, but I still love the idea because it gives us a chance to sample various creators and not have to invest in an entire mini-series to see it they fit our taste. Of course this says they are going to get big names, but I’m still guessing we will have other lesser known names.
Lee: I might have to disagree about anthologies being a form of the part. It seems that a lot of smaller publishers are using them to enter the market (Boom!). But, it’s a good way to get creators experience without dealing with full time books. That said, I’m still surprised IDW is producing one.


Journey Vol. 02 SC by Messner-Loebs (W & A)
The classic adventure series from Eisner nominee William Messner-Loebs concludes in this second collection of Journey, including issues #17-27. Follow Joshua "Wolverine" McAlistaire as his adventures lead him throughout the wild, unpopulated Michigan Territory, crossing paths with a barrage of both real-life and fictional characters.
Pages: 288, 6.625 x 10.187, B&W, $19.99
Lee: I mentioned Journey Vol 1, so I must mention Journey Vol 2. I can’t wait to get these books. This was a such an incredible series! Very, very good.
Jim: This is one of those books I have filed under I must read it someday.


Locke & Key: Head Games #1 by Joe Hill (W) Gabriel Rodriguez (A & C)
New York Times bestselling writer Joe Hill and artist Gabriel Rodriguez, the creators behind the acclaimed Locke & Key: Welcome to Lovecraft, return with an all-new series that adds to the L&K mythos. In the first issue of Locke & Key: Head Games, Professor Joe Ridgeway has one look at Lovecraft Academy's newest transfer student, the charismatic Zack Wells, and is seized with an unsettling notion: that young Wells is in fact the ghost of Lucas Caravaggio, a teenager who disappeared over twenty years before, along with several other students, and who has long been presumed dead. Joe soon sets out to dig up the truth on the new kid... with no idea how far Zack Wells is willing to go to keep his secrets buried.
Pages: 32, FC, $3.99
Lee: Locke & Key was a great mini-series and I am very glad to see it still going. If you missed it the first time then jump on now because it’s a great ride.
Jim: Locke and Key was an excellent mini-series and one of the best written comics on the market. If you missed it, get the trade and jump on this mini-series.

PART 3 FRIDAY OR SATURDAY - IT'S GWEN'S CALL

Indies Previews Reviews for January Part 1of 3

Note we are going a little out of order this month with our Preveiw Reviews as the Indies will be up this week and Dark Horse and Image next week.

Lee: Looking forward this is an odd month for indies. Usually, I end up with 1/3 crime-horror, 1/3 humor, and 1/3 younger audience. This month seems to be more serious stuff. I doubt that it’s a long term trend but it shows how the selection changes from month to month.
Jim: This month Lee got so far ahead that I just reduced to commenting as none of the selections were mine. Work has been busy for me as I handle auto claims and once gas prices went down claims went up.

Aardvark Vanaheim
Glamourpuss #5 (Zombie variant) by Dave Sim
Where's glamourpuss? Fortunately most of this issue was in the can before Comics' Greatest Fashion Maven went missing. Cover preview for the proposed glamourtween title, gammagpooz hosts the 3-page fashion horror story, The Thinker, plus a cameo appearance by Cerebus (don't blink or you'll miss him) in his Porsche Carrera 1984 sports car. And Aardvark-Vanaheim continues its outreach to the undead with its second zombie cover, written in the Zombie's own distinctive and emotive language! Pages: 24, B&W, $15.00

Lee: Now this is a great zombie cover! Leave it to Dave Sim to make fun of the big two. I love the cover blurbs as a series of grunts and howls.
Jim: Glamourpuss actually has a fair amount of decent satire in it and this is a satire product, but he is still trying to make way too much money as he laughs at the people who buy it.

American Mule Entertainment
Public Enemy Vol. 01 SC by Chuck D & Adam Wallenta
Public Enemy is a world-famous Hip-Hop band that has crossed genres and influenced a generation with their lyrics and beats. What the world doesn't know is that they are members of a secret network of global freedom fighters known as the Underground Railroad. When a young runaway seeks out Public Enemy's help, the group uncovers a government conspiracy to use the homeless as guinea pigs for illegal human experimentation. What they don't realize is these experiments are designed to create genetically-enhanced super soldiers that will be used to build an unstoppable army. Public Enemy quickly realizes they are in way over their heads as they fight for their lives against the powers that be! The Mule website with Public E webisodes and more here
Pages: 144, FC, $22.99

Lee: I like music and comics. I’ve made no bones about that. But this is just silly. Let me break out my inner homie and shout out “Yo Yo Yo Chuck D. My man. You be betta dan dis!” Jim… How did I sound? Did I sound authentic? Is my street cred still viable? Jim: A) If you are looking for me for street cred with rap music you are SOL. B) Aaargh - stop with the music and comics stuff

Avatar Press Inc
Alan Moore's Light of Thy Countenance SC by Alan Moore, Antony Johnston & Felipe Massafera
Alan Moore, master and magician of storytelling, tears back the veil of one of the most arcane of enchantments - the Magic of Television. Part grimoire, part grim invocation of things that are all too ordinary, this beautiful 48-page novella is stunningly painted by Felipe Massafera. Maureen Cooper is not real. She is an apparition summoned to screens, into homes, into the hearts and mind of the viewing audience by Carol Livesly. But Carol Livesly is not the god that creates the illusions that capture the mind and bind the soul. She is only a servant of a higher power. A higher, hungry power, as old as the world and eternally new. As, perhaps, are we all... Light of Thy Countenance, an original and breathtaking story by Alan Moore, has been adapted to graphic novella format by Antony Johnston preserving every word, and each page has been painstakingly painted by Felipe Massafera to create this comics masterpiece. Available in a standard SC and a limited edition Hardcover, of just 2,000 copies, both with covers by Massafera.
Pages: 48, 7x10, SC, FC, $7.99

Lee: While, Ennis and Ellis have written some great material for Avatar, I never felt that Moore was at his best here. It seems that Ennis and Ellis leftovers are just too violent and-or gorey for mainstream publishers. Moore’s work just strikes as just too random and out there. I love Moore and have most everything he’s ever written but I will pass on this.
Jim: Plus it is a crap product and overpriced. I love a lot of Moore's stuff, but some of it is way too self indulgent.

Berserker
Church of Hell #1 by Alan Grant, Wayne Nichols & Simon Bisley
They say if you repent your sins, you'll be forgiven. They say if you're truly sorry, your evil will be cleansed away. But it's not only God who loves a sinner - and when you enter the Church of Hell, you don't come out with a smile on your face, unless the Devil has cut you a new mouth! The four-issue event begins here! FC, $3.95

Lee: I’m not sure how long Berserker will be publishing comics, but I like what they are offering. Grants a great writer. Bisley’s a great artist. This has the makings of one great horror story.
Jim: I agree, but I will wait for the trade before worrying about it.

Cartoon Books
Bone Color ed. Vol. 09: Crown of Horns HC by Jeff Smith
It's full-fledged war as Briar, the rat creatures, and the Pawan army storm the city of Atheia where the Bone cousins, Thorn, and Gran'ma Ben are up in arms to defend the royal city. When Thorn hears a voice urging her to seek the Crown of Horns, she and Fone Bone embark on another dangerous journey as they race to find the one thing that may save them all! Now available in color for the first time, this breathtaking conclusion to Jeff Smith's epic graphic novel series is available in both SC and hardcover editions. NOTE: Available only in the United States and Canada.
Pages: 224, FC, $19.99

Lee: Now this is awesome. These hc’s are currently going for over $50 on ebay so a second printing is just what the doctor ordered. And, since this is the last one I need to complete the series, I’m even happier.
Jim: I never got into Bone and I know tons of people who love it. Not sure why, just never did.

Checker Book Publishing Group
Ruse Collection SC by Scott Beatty & Butch Guice
Mr. Simon Archard and his partner, Miss Emma Bishop, are all the stand between the criminal underworld and populace of the gaslit city of Partington! Collecting the final issues of Ruse, Crossgen's most acclaimed series, set in the fantastical steampunk realm of Arcadia, the Ruse Collection collects issues #18-26. Pages: 232, 7x10, SC, FC, $21.95

Lee: I was very, very happy about the first Ruse collection. I’m not so sure about this one. Mark Waid wrote the first issues which were great but this is the end of the run and I don’t know anything about it. I might get this if I hear some great things about it.
Jim: Another series that never caught my attention, but I would try Part 1 with Waid and probably skip this one.

Dealer Comics
Him & Hers Smuggling Vacation GN by Jason Wilson & Tony Spencer
It's the all-swearing, all-smuggling true crime suspense comedy that made controversial headlines in Britain when British Member of Parliament Khalid Mahmood called for it to be banned from British prisons. The tale of two Brits Abroad who become drug smugglers will have you cheering them on as they argue their way across Europe's borders pursued by a vengeful criminal gang and tipped off customs and excise officers. The result of a two-year collaboration between storyboard artist Jason Wilson and his estranged father - the incarcerated drug smuggler and previously Britain's most wanted - ex-smuggler Tony Spencer, this unique book mixes crime and comedy in a truly groundbreaking fashion. Pages: 76, FC, $11.95 Visit the official page, with lots of sample art here

Lee: I seem to remember Rich Johnston, of LITG fame, talking about this book. It looks great! I really like the art and the previews that I read were pretty funny. It’s a tad expensive but I just might have to try it.
Jim: Let me know what you think, the premise is not making me all giddy.


Drawn & Quarterly
Baloney GN by Pascal Blanchet
Following White Rapids - named Best Comic of 2007 by The Onion - Pascal Blanchet brings us Baloney. Winds swirl and darkness reigns over a hamlet perched atop a craggy peak. Russian fatalism sets the tone as Blanchet orchestrates the tale of a village butcher, his disabled daughter, and her tutor in their doomed uprising against the swaggering Duke Shostakov, local governor and owner of the only heating company in town. In a graphic novel about love and despair that is also a homage to the music of the 1930s and '40s, double bassists and trombonists lean into the frame, striking up a score that blends vaudeville with Kurt Weill and Russia's great modern composers. Rendered in two-color, red-and-black chiaroscuro, light struggles to emerge from darkness and endurance makes way for heroism, all to no avail. Read Baloney as a reverie composed to the melodies of Prokofiev and Shostakovich - a beautiful conjuring of moods, or a call to arms against the exorbitant utility rates. Visit Blanchet here (look under Portfolio) and see previews of White Rapids here. Pages: 80, 6x8, SC, PC, $16.95

Lee: I have to say this about D&Q books, they are always visually stunning. Somehow, D&Q always manages to find graphic artists that are unique and so different from anything else on the market. The problem is sometimes the artists don’t know how to tell a story. If you can accept that this has potential of being an “art only” book then go for it. If you need both story and art, then proceed with caution.
Jim: It is almost this publisher niche. I have read some D&Q stuff that had both, but Lee is right on about this one.

Kaspar GN by Diane Obomsawin
May 28, 1828, marked the beginning of the official life of Kaspar Hauser, a young man who appeared mysteriously in the streets of Nuremberg and died of knife wounds five years later under equally mysterious circumstances. Europe's child, as pamphleteers referred to him, captured the imagination of salon society. Allegedly raised in a dark cellar and deprived of human contact until the age of sixteen, he became the proof of a concept for theories about natural man, original sin, and the civilizing mission of culture. Rightful heir to the throne of Baden or a fraud? Redeemer of man's sins or ambulatory automatist? The curious circumstances and significance of his life have been disputed ever since. Quebec cartoonist Diane Obomsawin draws on Hauser's own writings, and contemporary accounts, to tell the foundling's strange story.Gentle and poetic, naïve and profound, Obomsawin's first book to appear in English translation has a quiet and compelling charm.
Pages: 96, 6x9, SC, B&W, $12.95

Lee: I’m sure Obomsawin is an excellent artist but the raw… stick-figure-ness… of the art gives me hope that my scribblings can be published too.
Jim: Only if you are an artist. You know phony up your resume and give yourself a goofy name and then submit and be discovered.

Part 2 TOMORROW

Marvel Preview Review for January

Lee: YAHOOOO Secret Invasion is Over!!! YAHOOO YAHOOO YAHOOO… but why don’t we have any idea what’s going to happen? This stinks.
Jim: I agree, all of these classified solicitations are a pain. Have the time the hype is all baloney anyway, but whatever.

MARVEL'S 70th ANNIVERSARY POSTER24 x 36... $8.99 On-Sale 1/21/09

Lee: Posters are all well and good but usually not for me. Because this was anniversary poster, it piqued my interest so I decided to take a closer look. In the background there are 7 rows of comics, one for each decade of publishing. Each row has six covers. Now, I think that’s pretty hard to pick the six best covers from an entire decade of publishing. And, overall I think whoever chose the covers did pretty well… for the most part. For some reason, Marvel chose two really bad covers to represent the 90’s. Let’s see, the colors are wrong on New Mutants 87 and the Punisher War Zone 31 cover. Other than that, it’s pretty cool.

Jim: It maybe a cool poster, but I have no interest in posters anymore.

AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE #21

DEADPOOL #6

INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #9

MIGHTY AVENGERS #21

MS. MARVEL #35

NEW AVENGERS #49

THUNDERBOLTS #128

WAR MACHINE #2

MARVEL SPOTLIGHT: DARK REIGN

UNCANNY X-MEN ANNUAL #2

Lee: Certainly makes it easy to preview books when 10 books have no description whatsoever. Oh yes, very easy indeed. Actually, it reminds me of days pre-previews when there was some anticipation for the next issue because you didn’t know what was going to happen.

Jim: That is a great point Lee, before all the solicitation stuff we would have no clue about what was in the next issue and would only have a limited idea of what might be coming out that week. The surprise factor is gone and I guess Marvel is trying to bring some of that back as best they can.

SCOURGE OF THE GODS #1 (of 3) Written by VALRIE MANGIN Penciled and Covers by ALEKSA GAJI After a thousand years of peace, the Orbis - the Roman Galactic Empire that thought itself almighty - trembles down to its foundations. The Huns, savage warriors that came out of nowhere, are trying to conquer it. King Attila has already pillaged and burned dozens of planets without any legion being able to stop him or even slow him down. And unfortunately for Rome - Kerka, the Hun's goddess of chaos herself - is back. But the Gods have a taste for tragedy: Kerka has been reincarnated in the body of Flavia Aetia, a young Roman girl. Is Flavia truly this macabre divinity? Is she the by-product of a terrifying plot? Or is she only the victim of a terrible destiny? A free adaptation of Hun king Attila and the Roman general Flavius Aetius's confrontation, SCOURGE OF THE GODS replays the eternal struggle between order and chaos on the galactic level. Halfway between sci-fi and heroic fantasy, the huge epic fresco proclaims antique grandeur as well as the barbarism that lies in our future. 56 PGS./Mature ...$5.99

Lee: I continue to be impressed with Marvel’s Soleil line. This is one of the few marketing decisions that I have agreed with from Marvel and I like that I can still stay in the company line. In a longer term sense, I wonder if this will fall on the same hard times that DC’s Humanoids books did?
Jim: I worry about the sales on these books, but I will happily order the ones that look interesting to me as long as Marvel is putting them out.

DAREDEVIL #115 Written by ED BRUBAKER Penciled by MICHAEL LARK Cover by MARKO DJURDJEVICThe shocking ending of LADY BULLSEYE is here! It's a non-stop kung-fu extravaganza, as Daredevil faces Lady Bullseye and the Hand - and confronts one of the toughest decisions of his life! 32 PGS./Rated T+ ...$2.99

Lee: New topic, gruesome covers. Marvel seems to have decided that they can’t do embarrassed to be a fanboy covers anymore so they’ve gone for blood-n-guts instead. I think card stuck in DD’s head dripping blood is a nice touch.
Jim: Well sex or violence, it has to be one or the other. I’d prefer the sex.

DR. DOOM AND THE MASTERS OF EVIL #1 Written by PAUL TOBIN Art by PATRICK SCHERBERGER Cover by ROGER CRUZALL NEW TALES!!! You've gotta ask yourself: If Doctor Doom's the most evil guy ever, how much more evil's it gonna get when he puts a whole TEAM of VILLAINS to work? It's the series where the bad guys get their say, and the Sinister Six are saying they aren't sinister enough! So, what's the solution? How about Kraven stealing a vibranium staff from the Louvre? Sweet! And how about Electro designs a new suit to better channel his powers? Great idea! And how about ramping up Mysterio's powers by breaking into Stark Industries to steal a miniaturized super-component, battling both Iron Man and Dr. Strange in the process? 32 PGS./Rated T+ ...$2.99

Lee: There are so many books that make me shake my head in wonder because they are being published. This would be one of them. Why do we have this? Spiderman’s tangled web failed in 90’s. Super Villain Team Up failed in the 70’s. I can’t help but think that this will have a short life span too.

Jim: The hype should read, you know it is a loser book and we know it too, but we are hoping that since it is Marvel you will buy this book instead and not that well written and produced non-big two book next to us on the shelf, because you are an idiot and only buy Marvel and DC.

OFFICIAL INDEX TO THE MARVEL UNIVERSE #1 Follow the history of the Marvel Universe as it unfolds month by month with the All-New Official Index to the Marvel Universe. Each issue provides synopses for dozens of individual comics, including back-up strips, introducing you to the characters, teams, places and equipment that appeared within, providing vital information about first appearances, where they last showed up and where they appeared next! Join us as we chronicle the Marvel Universe, starting with Spider-Man (from Amazing Fantasy #15 on), Iron Man (from Tales of Suspense #39 on) and the X-Men (from 1963's X-Men #1 on). 64 PGS./Rated A ...$3.99

Lee: I am a total Marvel continuity nerd. At least I was until Marvel started retconning everything in existence. But this is right up my alley. I’m very interested to see what this will look like.

Jim: I have totally given up on trying to be a continuity person. Marvel and DC don’t care, so how can I care.

RUINS #1 Written by WARREN ELLIS Painted by CLIFF & TERESE NIELSEN, TERESE NIELSEN & CHRIS MOELLER Cover by CLIFF & TERESE NIELSENMarvel's favorite pessimist looks through his darkest glass yet into a world where "marvel" is just another word for "horror." Nuclear warfare, internment camps, government oppression, drug addiction, degradation, suicide...and those are just the ones we have words for. Have the men and women we know as heroes made the situation better or worse? Here's a hint: In the Ruins, radiation only kills. Collecting RUINS #1-2. 80 PGS./One-Shot/Parental Advisory ...$4.99

Lee: I know nothing about this. I don’t even remember when it was published. But, it’s very early Ellis work for Marvel so it should be good. Why don’t they reprint his EXCELLENT work on Hellstorm first before this junk.

Jim: I’m ordering this out of morbid curiosity and to read some early Ellis work, before he was Warren Ellis.

SQUADRON SUPREME #7 Written by HOWARD CHAYKIN Penciled by MARCO CHECCHETTO Cover by MIKE DEODATO"ONE FINE DAY" PART 1 (OF 6)America-devastated in a war of superhumans, abandoned by her greatest heroes...and rebuilt by Nick Fury. After last issue's shocking ending, the master manipulator will face a few old friends-friends who have some interesting ideas about the world of tomorrow. But does Fury have a place in it? Join writer Howard Chaykin as he welcomes superstar-in-the-making Marco Checchetto as the Squadron enters a bold new era! 32 PGS./Parental Advisory ...$2.99

Lee: Sadly enough this looks like it might be interesting. If the series had started here instead of where it did I might actually be reading this. I wonder if anyone even made it through the first arc in the series because none of my friends did.

Jim: I’m avoiding this book like the plague.

CAPTAIN BRITAIN BY ALAN MOORE & ALAN DAVIS OMNIBUS HC Written by ALAN MOORE, ALAN DAVIS, DAVE THORPE, PAUL NEARY, MICHAEL CARLIN, STEVE CRADDOCK, MIKE COLLINS, JAMIE DELANO & CHRIS CLAREMONT Penciled by ALAN DAVIS & PAUL NEARY Covers by ALAN DAVISOne of the Marvel Universe's most staggering sagas from two of Britain's most remarkable writers, reprinted in total for the first time! Captain Britain fights to save a universe...and fails! But a single reality is small change in the game Merlyn's playing against Mad Jim Jaspers, who's rewriting reality so he's the center of the universe! Worlds collide, heroes and villains die, and Captain Britain's beside himself - except when he's fighting himself...to the death! Featuring the first appearances of the metamorphic Meggan, Opal Luna Saturnyne, the Captain Britain Corps, and more! Plus: Psylocke joins the X-Men, and the X-Men join Captain Britain on a cosmic quest into the secrets of life and death! The fiendish Fury, the horrific Horde and the malevolent Mojo are only a few of the adversaries who await within! Also guest-starring the New Mutants and Captain America! Collecting MARVEL SUPER-HEROES (UK) #377-388, THE DAREDEVILS (UK) #1-11, CAPTAIN AMERICA #305-306, MIGHTY WORLD OF MARVEL (UK) #7-16, CAPTAIN BRITAIN (UK) #1-14, NEW MUTANTS ANNUAL #2 and UNCANNY X-MEN ANNUAL #11.680 PGS./Rated T+ ...$99.99

Lee: I really don’t like the omnibus’s. I know lots of people do but I find that 1000 plus pages is just to big a book. BUT, if this is the only way to get Alan Moore’s Cap’n Britain in hc then I am all over this. This is an absolute fantastic story with gorgeous art. And, it is well worth your investment if you’ve never read the series.

Jim: Pass. I have had my fill on this mammoth book that are almost impossible to really enjoy.

WOLVERINE: NOT DEAD YET PREMIERE HC Written by WARREN ELLIS Penciled by LEINIL FRANCIS YU Covers by LEINIL FRANCIS YUWolverine's past is full of nasty characters, but few as fiendish as the White Ghost, a murderous mercenary whom Logan thought he'd left for dead during his spy years! But this Ghost won't be laid to rest until he's run Wolverine through a gauntlet of Adamantium weapons, killing the mutant maverick with the very metal that's saved his life so many times! Unwilling to risk his friends, Wolverine stands alone in a story of intrigue, romance and devastation, culminating in a clash between two killers! Collecting WOLVERINE #119-122.112 PGS./Rated T+ ...$19.99

Lee: So… Wolverine “isn’t dead yet.” I hear this little voice saying “I’m not dead yet! I’m feeling better. Really I am.” I wonder if we’ll get the Wolverine: It’s Just a Flesh Wound Trade next? “It’s just a flesh wound. I’ve had worse!”

Jim: My question is, if Wolverine gets cut in two, say right down the middle, do both halves grow back into Wolverine?

CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE TRUTH PREMIERE HC Written by ROBERT MORALES Penciled and Cover by KYLE BAKER In every war, people demand their champion. In World War II, that hero was Captain America. TRUTH is the controversial, declassified story of the African American men involuntarily subjected to the U.S. War Department's "Super Soldier" project, in a race to develop a serum that might turn the tide against the Axis powers ... if the Nazi's didn't get to it first. An epic spanning the time just before the attack on Pearl Harbor into the present day, TRUTH finally reveals the tragic sacrifice that a Black infantry unit made for their country - and what those sacrifices mean to a white man named Steve Rogers. Collecting TRUTH #1-7. 168 PGS./Parental Advisory ...$24.99

Lee: This is very very interesting because I remember when the series was released. It started with lots of hype and then seemed to disappear. But, those that stuck with it really love it. And, it seems to have a cult following. I just might have to try this.

Jim: Hmmm, why is this being released now after all this time?

DAREDEVIL: BORN AGAIN PREMIERE HC Written by FRANK MILLER Penciled by DAVID MAZZUCCHELLI Covers by DAVID MAZZUCCHELLI"And I - I have shown him... that a man without hope is a man without fear." The definitive Daredevil tale! Karen Page, Matt Murdock's former lover, has traded away the Man Without Fear's secret identity for a drug fix. Now, Daredevil must find strength as the Kingpin of Crime wastes no time taking him down as low as a human can get. Collecting DAREDEVIL #226-233.248 PGS./Rated T+ ...$24.99

X-MEN: PROTEUS PREMIERE HCWritten by CHRIS CLAREMONT, JOHN BYRNE,ANN NOCENTI & FABIAN NICIEZAPenciled by JOHN BYRNE, JOHN BOLTON & MARK BRIGHT Covers by DAVE COCKRUM & GEORGE PEREZOne of the X-Men's greatest allies must face her darkest secret when a child born of violence bends reality to his whims! The paranormal Proteus battles the X-Men in body and soul, shaking the psyches of even their strongest! But as Marvel's mightiest mutants face one world-threatening wonder, an even worse one awaits as the stage is set for the debut of Dark Phoenix!Collecting X-MEN #125-128, and CLASSIC X-MEN #32-33 and #36.128 PGS./Rated T+ ...$19.99

Lee: I’m wondering how many times Marvel can reprint the same material over and over and over. I know the X-men book exists in tpb, Masterwork, Omnibus, and now this. The Daredevil is close to the same. How about reprinting something that hasn’t been done before?

Jim: There has to be diminishing returns on this also. I mean all the fans who wanted this is HC or trade have to be close to done, so I guess adding the Classic X-Men stuff is the enticement.

SECRET INVASION TPB200 PGS./Rated T+ ...$29.99

SECRET INVASION: FANTASTIC FOUR TPB144 PGS./Rated A ...$14.99

SECRET INVASION: HOME INVASION TPB104 PGS./Rated T+ ... $14.99

SECRET INVASION: CAPTAIN MARVEL TPB136 PGS./Rated A ...$14.99

SECRET INVASION: WAR MACHINE TPB96 PGS./Rated T+ ...$12.99

Lee: Luckily Secret Invasion is over so the issues won’t flood the stands and we can get back to normal story telling. Instead we can flood the tpb stands on overwhelm that area. BUT WAIT, this doesn’t even cover the Avengers tpb’s required for that part of the story.

Jim: I read that if you got all the Secret Invasion comics it cost close to $400 retail, now you can spend it again on the trades.

Lee: Not the best, but not the worst month for Marvel. Actually, it appears to be more of the same old-same old.
Jim: OMG, I almost died from heart failure, how Lee can only choose this amount of books. When Lee picks I hardly ever add, because he picks everything, but this month he showed some restraint. Get ready for some heavy snow storms.